Amid call for unity, khaps stand divided

Turning their backs on the Haryana government, khaps are all set to head towards Delhi on Sunday.

As the deadline set by sarv khap jat mahapanchayat expired on Saturday, the khaps stood divided where some stuck to their planned agitation, while others backed out after the Haryana Backward Classes Commission (HBCC) dashed out a "sugar-coated quota" for five castes, including Jats.

Delegations of at least 100 people from five places - Narwana(CR Park), Hisar (Kranti Chowk), Bhiwani (Dhanana village), Karnal (Jat Dharamsala) and Palwal (Jat Dharamsala) - would march around 15-20 km towards national capital before halting.

Yashpal Malik, national president of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti said: "As per the plan, Haryana Jats will block the supply of essential commodities and Uttar Pradesh Jats will cease the supply of milk and vegetables at UP-Delhi border."

He said: "UP Jats will gather in Moradabad district on Sunday to participate in the rally and further strategies to press for the quota demand at central and state levels in government jobs will be revealed there."

Sharvan Dudi, district president of All India Jat Mahasabha, said: "A contingent of Jats with representatives of Jat mahasabha will leave for Delhi as per schedule."

Dudi said: "The decision to include Jats under special backward class category by Haryana cabinet ministers is misleading and cannot be implemented."

Responding to a media query, Sube Singh Dhaka, vice-president of Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said: "We want the state government to include us under the other backward class category that avails the benefit of 27% reservation in government jobs and educational institutes. We will not put off the agitation till our demands are met."

He said the agitation would be peaceful and non-violent unlike past.

Sube Singh Samain, spokesperson for sarv khap jat mahapanchayat, said: "As a precaution and considering various other aspects, especially cold weather, we have asked women to stay at home."

He said: "Youth will take the lead, while senior khap members will reach the destination directly."

Meanwhile, Hawa Singh Sangwan, state president of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said: "Representatives of Jat Sangharsh Samiti and khap panchayats have been invited by the chief minister at his residence on December 17 to hold a talk on the quota issue."

On differences with khap panchayats, he said: "People should understand that the OBC is meant only for central reservation not state. At the state level, BC is only to confer backward status to the caste recommended by the commission. In Haryana, the Jats and three other castes have been considered as special BC, so that other BC castes should not get affected, which is a wise step."

The HBCC factorThe Haryana Backward Classes Commission (HBCC) had on Wednesday recommended 10% exclusive backward reservation for Jats, Jat Sikhs, Rors, Bishnois and Tyagis. The quota, if implemented, will take the reservation percentage in Haryana to 57%, but the Supreme Court has set a 50% limit for reservation in government jobs. The move to give exclusive quota, experts say, will not stand judicial scrutiny.

Routes to get affectedHansi-Mundal (NH-10)Dhanana to Bhiwani (link road)Lahuru to Dadri (link road)Narwana to JindKandela to JindBawal to RewariKurukshetra to Karnal